Recommend me some books.

[Pond, James Pond]

To get a hunting certificate over here there are several hoops to jump through.

One of them is passing a hunting theory exam. The kind of material that covers is available here in a big fat book, but is all in Estonian and I don't speak well enough to trust myself to understand it all.

Meanwhile my Dad is off to the States again; CT and NY. While he's there I thought I might ask him to look around for books on the subject.

So please could you recommend me a book or two that would meet as many of the following criteria (last one a must!):

• Easy to follow for a novice
• Teaches good hunting craft, inc shooting, hides, driven hunts, trapping, burrowing, bating and calls
• Teaches the vital zones on common game, big and small.
• Teaches field butchery
• Teaches how to handle hunting products
• Misc...
• Readily available in a Barnes & Noble/Cabelas or similar store that my Dad may readily come across in CT/NY

So not everything has to be in one single book, but imagine you want to give someone the most information in as few books and as understandable a format as possible.

I don't have hunting "buddies" here to learn from, accompany and watch, so most I will need to teach myself. Once I'm in the field and have a certificate, club membership and permit (tag), then I'll have contacts to observe before having a go myself.

But first exams, and tests.....

[bamaranger]

This will probably date me a bit, and I am not sure how material aimed at the US will apply over your way, but here are 3 books that I acquired at a very young age that I still think of highly. Some of the technical stuff aspects are dated, more cartridges and optic options, but much of the basic info is still good:
Hunting Big Game- Jack O'Conner
Complete book of Hunting-Clyde Ormond
The Hunting Rifle-Jack O'Conner

Again, these are older, classic texts, aimed primarily at North America, but still fair primers. There were sold widely here in the states, and I see them often in book stores, yard sales, etc.

I'll mention some authors as well:
Anything by Finn Aagard you can take as gospel and sound advice. Aagard was a professional hunter in South Africa, and came to Texas, Traveled widely to hunt. His stuff is very plain and he was a humble guy. Wish I could have hunted with him, I liked his material that much.
I like John Barsness's material. He's my favorite young writer and likely the most current I'll list. He travels a bit too, and is sharp about optics. Lots of magazine articles, not sure about books.
Craig Boddington is another contemporary writer who travels around the world and has vast experience. I'm not sure about books, but he pens alot of magazine articles.
I know nothing about the hunting exams you must take, but through the course of my years, had to take more than a few spec exams for certain certificates. If there is a " big fat book" that addresses the peculiarities in your area, I'd sure get in it and absorb what I could. I read that Euro hunting customs are very unique and traditional....best get that sort of thing right from the source. There will no doubt be specific material drawn right from their "book" that won't be found easily elsewhere.
As an aside to others over here, see this as a reminder of how very fortunate we are to be able to hunt easily, widely and relatively freely here in the US.
Finally, POND, very best of luck in your endeavors to get certified over there. I could no more not hunt, than not breath, and from your posts and enthusiasm, I suspect you are much the same. Hope you are afield soon.

[bamaranger]

Would it be possible for you to obtain the NRA based monthly magazines "American Hunter" and American Rifleman". Perhaps you already get them? Is their such as thing as an international membership to the NRA?
If acquisition over there is not possible, perhaps family (you mention your Dad) can join the NRA if he is not a member presently ( you could buy him an annual membership). That step would allow him to receive the magazine/journal monthly, there is a lot of current US material in those rags.

[Pond, James Pond]

Thanks for the pointers. I'll do a quick search to see if I can find some links online.

The exam will be on the Hunting Act but another part is hunting theory. So this means seasons, how to recognise game, vital areas, tracking; stuff like that.

Having not done the course that teaches it all, it is hard to say exactly what is in there, but either way, my knowledge is nil, so I need some input!

Any books from NA will have materials on NA species, but we have deer, boar, elk and bear here too and I doubt the physiology is so different!

[math teacher]

Add Jim Carmichael's "The Book Of The Rifle" to the list. I have been able to get O'Connor's and Carmichael's books used on Amazon for a very reasonable price. Just paid less than four dollars including shipping for O'Connor's "The Rifle Book" in hard copy. They are a bit dated, but hunting is still hunting. Boddington is the best of the current gun hunting authors IMO.

[FrankenMauser]

Getting your hands on one (or more) of our NRA or state-based Hunters Education programs might be useful, as well.

As for books, the only thing that came immediately to mind was "How to Prepare Game" by Jack Brimhall.
-It will not be found in a Barnes & Noble or a Cabela's.-
It's dated. (The last printing was in 1964.)
The photographs are often difficult to make out (b/w).
It may not be perfect in every way.
And it really only covers deer.

But I think he does a good job of putting into words what is best learned with your hands inside a dead deer/elk/moose.

It's available (cheap!) on Amazon.
Or, I have an extra copy. I'd be willing to give to you. (Though, we may have to discuss shipping. I have no idea what that might be.) PM me, if interested.

[Pond, James Pond]

Thanks for the additional suggestions.

I will have a look online to see if any can be found.

Frankenmauser: a very kind offer! Let's see how things pan out since, as you say, shipping is an unknown and, over here, we get slammed on transatlantic bank transfers!! So it becomes less straight forward. All the same, knowledge is knowledge!!

Another name on Amazon is Rinella.
There are two books: one for big game and one for small.

I'm unsure about it. Looks like it has the info I need, but to what degree? Is it just a book off the back of the success of a TV show? Is it just a coffee-table guide or is it good info concentrated cleverly into a single book.

It has sections on choosing a gun, calibre, scope etc, so I wonder it is really just light reading rather than a true walk-through of good hunting technique.

[T. O'Heir]

"...I don't have hunting "buddies"..." Join a shooting club.
Absolutely, O'Connor's "The Hunting Rifle". There are a couple "Bibles" too. The Deer Hunter's Bible is one. Search Amazon.com under Sports & Outdoors : Hunting & Fishing : Hunting.
Just be advised that books have gotten horrendously expensive.

[Pond, James Pond]

"...I don't have hunting "buddies"..." Join a shooting club.

Shooting is not quite organised like that here. There are hunting clubs, but you generally need a licence to join.

[Jack O'Conner]

These are four books which were very helpful to me.

Jack

[Erno86]

How to Hunt Everything {Outdoor Life}

http://www.amazon.com/How-Hunt-Every.../dp/1616288167


Pocket Field Dressing Guide

http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Field-D.../dp/0883173646

Green Hills of Africa - Ernest Hemingway

http://www.nytimes.com/books/99/07/0...way-green.html

Walden or Life in the Woods - Henry David Thoreau

http://www.amazon.com/Walden-Henry-D.../dp/1494812509

[FrankenMauser]

So how did you make out?

Still studying and trying to make sense of the Estonian 'manual'?

[Pond, James Pond]

Besides that excellent book on game preparation, I'm actually doing research online. Trying to follow the Estonian book is too involved. My Estonian is OK, but not that level.

I'm also trying to negotiated some tuition from a local guy in a shop. He'll alreay know what is in the exams!

[HiBC]

Like students in school,you have two goals.One is to pass a test,the other is to gain education.
So,how can you know what is on the test?

Example,long ago,we had the NRA Ten Commandments of Gun Safety.Now we have the simpler Cooper's four rules.
If I am taking a test that includes firearm safety,the test might be written to either set of rules.
I have no clue what the "Code of the West"is in Estonia.I would bet it varies some from what is "correct"in USA,as it would vary some in England or Germany.You need to know the expectations in Estonia.Even for field dressing,example,must evidence of sex remain attached?Since Wasting Disease became a concern in USA,,there is a new "Right Way"to do things,and boning in the field is considered good practice.

You can gain a great deal from YouTube.Some of it is even correct in varying percentages.Search "Field Dressing..."

For shot placement and visualizing anatomy,"The Perfect Shot" might be useful.

The books I was familiar with likely were popular in the 60's and 70's via "The Outdoor Life Book Club" and the like.These were a Book a Month" club subscription,and many authors wrote with that venue in mind.Not so much these days.
What was a common book,like "Tap's Tips" by H G Tapply,is likely rare and collectable today.
You might start by studying Amazon .You might get an "Amazon Estonia" website,and if you choose an option from some upper right symbol you might even get an English translation.Look at reviews.

Then look at the USA Amazon site at what is currently available.Barnes and Noble,too.You might see some common ground.
Contact an Estonian Game Warden or Forest Ranger,or guide ,and tell them you want to learn the proper way of doing things.Ask for recommendations.
I suspect you will find people who will bend over backwards to help someone toward being safe,ethical,and responsible.

[FairWarning]

Nothing beats the various classic Jack O'Connor to me. His era was before my time, but still rings true today. The latest whiz-bang ultra magnums weren't around in his day, but most of the major proven calibers were. Likewise there were no laser rangefinders or GPS units being used by hunters back then, but no matter...

[doofus47]

I've been working my way through Steve Rinella's books about hunting, butchering and cooking big (and small) game.

Tailored for the beginner, but a great read so far.

[Pond, James Pond]

I've been working my way through Steve Rinella's books about hunting, butchering and cooking big (and small) game.

Tailored for the beginner, but a great read so far.

Well, that is great news!

After all, I am a beginner and so are all those taking the hunting cert tests.

What I want to avoid is a book that has lots about "nothing" ie doesn't have info that can be translated into applicable technique "in the field" so to speak.

I can skip the bits about what a scope does or how to load a rifle, I just want something that will tell me how to effectively use a blind, how to track a blood trail well, how long to wait after a shot and why, how to trap and so on.

All these are parts of the hunting scope in Estonia and they are all in Estonian!!
(It took me 20 minutes to decipher my daughter's bedtime story last night so imagine the task if I have to understand the minutiae of good hunting technique!!)

[Pond, James Pond]

These are four books which were very helpful to me.

Jack

I misread the top one as Outdoor Love!!

Says more about me than anything else, I think!!